As part of our study on the subject “Special Topics on Christianity and Society II: Study Tour in Hong Kong: Christianity in the Global City”, we visited Christian churches in Hong Kong. As a Filipino Baptist, whose tradition comes from the American Baptist Churches, we have our own expression of faith while others, obviously, have their own as well. It is wonderful to realize that for the past 2,000 years since the Christian faith spread, it is alive and vibrant.
What I realized was that we may go to different churches, but we are members of the Body of Christ. What are the things then that we should remember as part of the BODY of Christ?
B - Belief in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior.
Romans 10:9 says, "If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved." This verse tells us that we cannot be a Christian if we do not declare Jesus as our Lord. Furthermore, we cannot be saved if we do not accept Him as our Savior.
So, to become a member of the Body of Christ, you need to declare and accept Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior.
O - Obedience to the commands of Jesus Christ.
In John 14:23-24, Jesus replied, “Anyone who loves me will obey my teaching. My Father will love them, and we will come to them and make our home with them. Anyone who does not love me will not obey my teaching. These words you hear are not my own; they belong to the Father who sent me." This verse tells us that what follows after we declare and accept that Jesus is our Lord and Savior is obedience to His commands.
The commands of Jesus Christ are written in the Bible. These commands are meant to be followed, and not just read nor idealized. We should show to the world that we are Christians by doing what Jesus says.
D - Disciple others in the name of Jesus Christ.
In the Great Commission, Jesus explicitly commanded us to "Therefore go and make disciples of all nations..." This command of Jesus has been repeatedly followed through thousands of years. It is now up to the next generation of Christians to continue in following it.
Let us remember that we have become a Christian because somebody shared the Gospel to us, and then discipled us in the Christian faith.
Y - Yield to the Holy Spirit.
Paul was a great example of someone who yielded to the Holy Spirit. He had some plans of where to go and what to do.
Acts 16:6-7 says, "Paul and his companions traveled throughout the region of Phrygia and Galatia, having been kept by the Holy Spirit from preaching the word in the province of Asia. When they came to the border of Mysia, they tried to enter Bithynia, but the Spirit of Jesus would not allow them to. So, they passed by Mysia and went down to Troas." It is very clear that we have our own will, but we must surrender it to the will of God. It is the Holy Spirit that convicts us on what to do and not to do.
For Paul, the result in yielding to the Holy Spirit is that he met Luke who chronicled their mission trip. We have the book of Acts and the Gospel according to Luke because of it.
As Christians, we need to be united and committed in essential matters of the faith and be enriched on the different forms of expressions and traditions of our Christian faith.
The Study Tour has indeed enriched my knowledge and understanding of Christianity and its role in contemporary society, as well as deepen my appreciation for inter-cultural and inter-religious studies.